Little Jimmy Dickens Dead at 94

Grand Ole Opry legend, Little Jimmy Dickens, died Friday at age 94.

Via report:

Little Jimmy Dickens, a diminutive singer-songwriter who was the oldest cast member of the Grand Ole Opry, has died. He was 94.

Dickens died Friday at a Nashville-area hospital of cardiac arrest after suffering a stroke on Christmas Day, Opry spokeswoman Jessie Schmidt said.

Dickens, who stood 4-foot-11, had performed on the Opry almost continuously since 1948. His last performance was Dec. 20 as part of his birthday celebration. He turned 94 a day earlier.

Country legend Hank Williams Sr. nicknamed him “Tater” based on Dickens’ song “Take an Old ColdTater (And Wait).”

His novelty songs, including his biggest hit “May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose” about good and bad luck, earned him a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1983.

He is credited with introducing rhinestone suits to country music around 1950, taking a suggestion from Los Angeles clothing designer Nudie.

“He said that when the lights hit them, the audience would go `Wow,’ ” Dickens recalled in the 2009 interview. “He was 100 percent right.”